Killer rapids, p.1
Killer Rapids, page 1
Clarity Bloom
KILLER RAPIDS
A Clarity Bloom Humorous Mystery Novel
Book 2
MARTINA DALTON
Write as Rain Books
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Killer Rapids : A Clarity Bloom Humorous Mystery
Copyright © 2020 by Martina Dalton.
All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
For information contact :
Martina Dalton
http://www.martinadalton.com
Book and Cover design by Martina Dalton
ISBN: 978-1-7331168-3-1
First Edition : June 2020
Visit the website at www.martinadalton.com to join my mailing list and get the latest news on upcoming books, giveaways, and more!
DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to our good dog, Freja, who we were blessed to have as a furry family member for twelve years. She protected our home and yard with quiet (and not so quiet) stoicism and steadfastness. We miss you, sweet girl.
Clarity Bloom
KILLER RAPIDS
MARTINA DALTON
DEDICATION
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
CHAPTER 1
THE SUN BEAT DOWN ON MY BACK as I wheeled the handcart through my Seattle suburb. Even though it was only mid-morning, the heat was getting to me.
The wheels hit a bump in the concrete, and I lurched to the side, nearly hitting the façade of the building before Brandi grabbed me, preventing me from denting the wall.
“Got ya!” Brandi steadied the dolly and straightened the tower of stacked boxes.
I regained my balance and wiped the sweat from my brow. “Thanks. Ten down, one to go.” I wheeled the dolly past an outdoor bench and took a hard left through the front door of our new office.
Brandi followed with her hands on her hips. “Tell me one more time why you insist on wheeling that cart with all your stuff from your house to the office?”
I pushed a box off the dolly and opened it. “Because my house is only two blocks away, and because it’s good exercise.”
Brandi’s dark curls bounced as she shook her head. “You’re nuts. You almost fell. And it took you an hour to get all this here. You could’ve loaded your car and driven it here in a few seconds.”
I arched an eyebrow. “I sold my roomy BMW, remember? My Prius can’t hold eleven good-sized boxes.”
“Oh, that’s right. I forgot. It would’ve taken two whole trips.” Brandi faked a horrified look. “Well, anyway, I think you could’ve saved a lot of time by driving.”
I wanted to say something in return, but I figured it was pointless to argue. If the three of us were going to get along in a small office, we’d better learn to let some things go.
Jonah opened the door and surveyed the chaos of our unorganized space. “God, this looks awful. Where did all these boxes come from?”
I raised my hand. “They’re mostly mine. But it’s not just my stuff. It’s for the office. I picked up some shelving, a few dishes for the kitchen, and some fun decorative items.”
Jonah set down the only box of his stuff on the messy floor. “What about furniture?”
“You mean like desks, tables, and chairs?” I shoved a box toward the wall with my foot.
“Yes. We need to make this place more habitable.” Jonah frowned as he glanced around the room.
“Everything will be delivered this afternoon,” I said.
“Good.” Jonah picked up a box and set it against the longest wall. “But we won’t be able to get anything set up if we don’t get these boxes out of the way.”
As we tried organizing the mess, I thought how different our new life would be after the company we’d worked for had dissolved. Opulent had been an incredible place to work—except when our boss, Paul, had killed my coworker and best friend, Janice. Once Janice had been murdered, everything had gone bad. And then, when the killer had kidnapped my cat and took my parents hostage, life had gone from bad to worse.
I still couldn’t figure out how we’d worked for a serial killer without knowing it. I shuddered at the memory of Paul trying to drag me into the woods so he could kill me too.
Thank goodness I’d taken a self-defense course from my brother’s detective partner, Hunter. The knowledge of how to defend myself had literally saved my life and the lives of my parents and cat, Pumpkin.
“Are you sad you’re not working in a swanky office building in downtown Seattle anymore?” Brandi asked Jonah.
“Heck no.” He pointed to his casual shirt and cargo shorts. “Now I can wear whatever I want and make my own schedule. And no more sucking up to management.”
I laughed. “Now you’ll only have to suck up to your clients.”
Jonah was a super talented designer. He was what some in the design industry called a “unicorn.” That was someone who could do multiple facets of design—web design, visual design, and UX and UI design. He was even a great illustrator. I wasn’t sure what all that stuff meant, but I understood it was rare to be good at all of them.
“Don’t you worry.” Jonah grinned. “I don’t mind sucking up to my own clients. They will be well taken care of.”
“Speaking of design.” I shoved the last box into the row against the wall. “I hope you like the style of furniture I ordered. I should’ve run it past you both, but it was on sale. I had to decide quickly, since the sale was just for one day.”
Brandi shrugged. “We trust you. You have good taste.”
“Thanks.” I wiped the moisture off my brow. “Anyone need a coffee break? I could use an iced latte.”
“I’m in.” Brandi grabbed her purse.
“Me too.” Jonah held the door open. “After you.”
The sweltering heat hit me square in the face when we stepped out onto the sidewalk.
“Oh, it’s a scorcher out here.” I lifted my shirt away from my skin, hoping the air would dry the moisture.
It was the last week of August, and summer was beating us into submission. But we Seattleites knew that once the relentless rain of late fall settled into the area, we’d be remembering the heat of the summer with fondness.
The Wallingford neighborhood was a quaint area of Seattle, with little shops, flowering baskets, and double-income couples and families. The coffee shop was conveniently located just two stores away from us.
We walked past a man with his Golden Doodle on a leash and a woman pushing a stroller.
The eclectic shops were nestled in neat rows on both sides of the street. I looked back at our office space. It wasn’t much to look at on the outside, but it was ours for three years—unless we broke the lease. I hoped our businesses would be successful enough to make it for at least that amount of time.
“What are you calling your CPA business, Brandi?” I opened the door to Lotsa Lattes and ushered my friends inside.
“I gave it a boring, but professional-sounding name. B. Taylor Accounting.”
“That works.”
We got in line.
“What about you, Jonah?”
He frowned. “I had a hard time deciding, but I had to come up with something for my business license. I’m using my last name. So, it’ll be Faulkner Design. And you?”
I’d given the name of my new company a lot of thought. It had to be perfect. Once you nailed down the logo and the branding, it was a real pain to change. Not to mention that if you had to change it, you’d lose any brand recognition you’d earned with your previous branding.
“Bloom Marketing and Investigations. It’s quite a mouthful, though.”
“Yeah,” Jonah said. “It’s kind of confusing. If someone wanted to hire you for marketing, the investigations part would make them scratch their heads. And vice versa if they were looking for a private investigator.”
“How about Bloom Branding and Bloodhounds?” I said, liking the sound of that.
Brandi scowled. “Do you really want people calling to see if you breed Bloodhounds? Because I don’t think they’ll know it’s another name for a sleuth.”
“Ugh.” I made a face. “This is hard.”
“What about See and Be Seen? Or something catchy like that?” Jonah offe red.
Brandi shook her head. “No one will know what you’re offering. What about Eye Spy Marketing and Investigation?”
“Too long,” Jonah said.
I thought for a moment while Brandi and Jonah read the menu on the wall. The name had to be simple but to the point. An idea popped into my mind. I held up a finger and announced, “I’ve got it!”
Jonah and Brandi stared at me. So did everyone else in the café.
“How about Bloom Promos & P.I.?” I smiled wide, proud of my revelation. “It pretty much describes both sides of the business.”
Brandi laughed. “I like it. It has a nice ring to it.”
“I agree.” Jonah smiled. “It’s perfect.”
We moved further up toward the front of the line.
I inhaled the smell of rich coffee and baked goods. “Mmm. I can’t believe how lucky we are to work right next to this place.”
Brandi frowned. “It’s a blessing and a curse. Remember, none of us are making money right now. Coffee is expensive.”
“Spoken like a true accountant.” Jonah laughed and took out his wallet. “Coffee is on me this morning. I’ve already landed my first client.”
“You have?” I was surprised. How did he have time to work when we were so busy getting our office set up?
“Last week, right after we signed the lease, I ran into the owner of the business next to this coffee shop. You know, the adventure travel agency?”
“Oh, yeah! I saw the display for his river rafting trip in the window,” I said.
We reached the front of the line, ordered our drinks, and let Jonah pay.
After we picked up our iced coffees, we re-entered the heat outside.
“Mind if I drop by the travel place to chat with the owner before we head back?” Jonah asked. “I want to see if he had a chance to look at the revisions I sent yesterday.”
“No problem,” I said. “We should all drop in and introduce ourselves anyway, since we’re his new neighbors.”
Through the travel shop window, I saw two men in the midst of an argument. The shorter, dark-haired man stormed out the front door. He breezed past us without a word.
We entered before the door could swing shut. The store was cool and inviting. A man climbed up on a chair and tacked a poster to the wall. He glanced at the door as we entered. “Hi Jonah. Sorry about that. That was my cousin. He’s a bit ticked off at me today. What brings you in?”
“That’s okay.” Jonah glanced at Brandi and me. “Ray, I want to introduce you to my friends and colleagues, Brandi Taylor and Clarity Bloom. We’re getting our office set up today—just two doors down.”
Ray got down from the chair and shook our hands with a firm grip. “Nice to meet you both.”
He was sort of handsome, with wiry muscles and skin that had been colored a golden brown by the sun.
Brandi tugged on a curl. I was suddenly aware of her self-consciousness as she adjusted her blouse across her curves. She stood up straighter.
“That’s a cool poster,” she said brightly.
He gave her a warm smile. “Thank you. It’s for my latest river rafting adventure. I can’t wait to see how it sells.”
“Need some help with marketing?” I asked. “I have a marketing company and would be happy to do an initial social media blast for you—free of charge, of course.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Really? Thank you so much. I haven’t yet delved into the social media part of marketing. I’ve been out in the field, testing our high-end adventure packages.”
“High-end adventure vacations.” Brandi had stars in her eyes. “That sounds amazing.”
Ray gave her a crooked smile. “Want to be one of my testers? I’m looking for a few more people to try out my ‘Wild River Ride’ vacation.”
Brandi grinned and looked at Jonah and me. “What do you think, guys? Are you up for an adventure?”
Whatever happened to us being financially responsible? “Can we afford something like that?” I directed my question at her.
Ray put his palm out. “No, no. It’s on me. You’ll be my guinea pigs. I wouldn’t feel right asking you to pay for it. Especially since Clarity is offering to do some social media marketing for me. All I ask is that you post a review on Yelp or Trip Advisor after we return.”
Brandi clapped her hands. “Wow! Thank you, Ray. And if you ever need help filing your taxes, I can help with that. I’m a CPA.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. I’ve got three slots open for this weekend, if your schedules allow it.” He took out a piece of paper. “Read through this and tell me what you think.”
Get ready for a thrilling adventure riding the river on a 4-day tour. Participants will depart for the Sauk river Friday morning. We’ll spend a night in lavish accommodations at The Black Swan hotel. A 5-course dinner plus drinks and a good night’s sleep will prepare you for a wild ride the next morning at dawn. Intermediate rafting skill highly recommended, but not required. Camping tents and gear are provided. The adventure begins in a challenging river run, followed by two nights of tent camping and hikes. A campfire lunch celebration closes the event on Monday.
After reading through the description, even I was excited, and I wasn’t an outdoorsy person.
Jonah’s hazel eyes twinkled. “What do you guys think?”
“I’m in.” I high-fived him.
“Me too.” Brandi flashed a huge smile at Ray.
On our way out the door, Jonah turned. “With all the excitement of the rafting trip, I completely forgot to ask you if you were happy with the revisions I sent yesterday.”
Ray nodded. “I reviewed them, and they look great. Can you send it to Astroprints? I use them for all my print materials.”
“Done,” Jonah said. “I’ll send it out later this afternoon after we get our office furniture set up.”
“Perfect. Thanks for the quick turnaround.” Ray pointed to us. “See you Friday morning. We leave at eight o’clock sharp from the park and ride in Ravenna.”
The sudden thought of Pumpkin jarred me. After he’d been kidnapped and almost killed by my serial killer boss, I was felt skittish about leaving him all alone. “Wait. I can’t leave my cat at home for four days.”
Brandi frowned, then pointed her finger at me. “I’ve got a solution. Why don’t you leave Pumpkin with your parents? It’s on the way.”
I bit my lip. “Maybe. But that means we’ll have to meet Ray up in the Skagit Valley instead of going with the rest of the group.” I turned to look him. “Is that okay?”
He shrugged. “Sure. Let’s meet at the grocery store in Concrete. Is that close enough to your parents’ place?”
I nodded. “Just a few miles away, actually. That’s perfect.”
“It’s settled then. Looking forward to Friday.” His gaze lingered on Brandi a second longer than necessary.
CHAPTER 2
“Oh, my God.” Brandi’s expression mirrored the way I felt. “Our office looks amazing.”
I was giddy with pride and excitement for our new life. “It does, doesn’t it?”
Jonah pointed to his desk. “I love it. Where did you get this furniture? I love how the dark metal legs compliment the rustic barn wood top.”
“Thanks. I got it from an estate liquidator. He told me that the furniture was made by a master craftsman who had a furniture design business. When he passed away, he left everything to his new wife—she was about thirty years younger than him. His kids fought tooth and nail to get their share of his estate, but in the end, the lawyers got most of it. They had to sell the business to pay them off.” I motioned to the furniture, which included three desks, a coffee table for the seating area, shelving, and a couple of end tables. “It’s sad when families fight over money and material things.”
Jonah shrugged. “I guess. Families shouldn’t fight over trivial things like that. It’s not worth it. Though it’s their pain, our gain.”
All this talk of family reminded me to check in on my parents more often. They drove me a little crazy, but I loved them dearly.
“Did you get the cool rug from the estate liquidator too?” Brandi pointed at the area rug. The bold geometric patterns and colors added to the rustic-urban look of the furniture.
“That came from IKEA.” I grinned.
